I think the starters will be Fish/Kobe/Odom/Bynum/Pau. I think it SHOULD be Fish/Kobe/Luke/Odom/Pau. Now, I say Luke because I expect him to be healthy and back to his old self. I don't think they should play 2 centers at once and have no effective big guys off the bench. Not only that, but Bynum plays great with the bench guys, especially Farmar. Him and Farmar have some sort of chemistry going where they know the others next move. They are great at Farmar driving and tossing up an alley-oop for Bynum. Then I think they need to rotate the 3 big guys at the 2 positions, playing each about 16 minutes per half in 8 minute rotations. So something like start Pau/Odom, at 4 minute mark take out Odom and put in Bynum, then at the 8 minute mark of the 2nd quarter put in Odom for Pau.

Now I'll break it down by position:PG - I definately believe Farmar could start, and should Fisher get hurt or need to leave for family reasons, I won't be scared that Fish isn't there to start and there's some huge hole at PG. I think Farmar will be the starting PG not in the next 2 years but after that, when Fish's contract is up and he will probably retire. He might not be as productive as he gets older, but he does so many things that don't show up on the stat sheet, some of which his age will not affect. He is such a leader out there, and nothing is going to change that. So while I believe Farmar could start, Fish should. Plus Farmar leads the bench mob which will be key in the team getting to the finals again.

SG - Ok, so this one is pretty obvious. So here I'll say why Kobe should start at SG instead of Sasha at SG and Kobe at SF. First, Sasha is key to the bench, and starting him will only hurt the bench. Second, Sasha will not be as good this year. Teams will have game plans for him, they will make sure he is covered. And because he is such a one dimensional player, it won't be that hard to limit what he does.

SF - This one is a toss up that I think should be decided in training camp. Either Luke or Vlad (not Ariza). Vlad can really benefit from being the 5th best player on the floor, because he can get open shots. But I think Luke's passing and basketball IQ give him the job. Plus he'll have the ability to hit the open shot, and as long he's healthy, I think he should definately be the starter.

PF - Odom, not Bynum (or Pau). I really don't like the look of having 2 centers out there. Both will be working in the paint so it will be hard to get a decent look inside. If you limit one of them to the high post, they won't be nearly as effective. Plus it kills the bench to not have a decent big man.

C - Pau should get this. Based on what I said above, it would either be Bynum and Pau off the bench or Pau with Bynum off the bench. Bynum is still a member of the bench mob imo, and was only a fill-in starter last year for an injured Kwame. He has great chemistry off the bench, while Pau has great chemistry with the starters. Plus it's easier for a younger Bynum to come off the bench after warming up and then sitting before going in.

I just don't see Pau playing C, I only see him there in an emergency situation, but him being a PF and not using him where he works best.

I think the starters will be Fish/Kobe/Odom/Bynum/Pau. I think it SHOULD be Fish/Kobe/Luke/Odom/Pau. Now, I say Luke because I expect him to be healthy and back to his old self. I don't think they should play 2 centers at once and have no effective big guys off the bench. Not only that, but Bynum plays great with the bench guys, especially Farmar. Him and Farmar have some sort of chemistry going where they know the others next move. They are great at Farmar driving and tossing up an alley-oop for Bynum. Then I think they need to rotate the 3 big guys at the 2 positions, playing each about 16 minutes per half in 8 minute rotations. So something like start Pau/Odom, at 4 minute mark take out Odom and put in Bynum, then at the 8 minute mark of the 2nd quarter put in Odom for Pau.

Now I'll break it down by position:PG - I definately believe Farmar could start, and should Fisher get hurt or need to leave for family reasons, I won't be scared that Fish isn't there to start and there's some huge hole at PG. I think Farmar will be the starting PG not in the next 2 years but after that, when Fish's contract is up and he will probably retire. He might not be as productive as he gets older, but he does so many things that don't show up on the stat sheet, some of which his age will not affect. He is such a leader out there, and nothing is going to change that. So while I believe Farmar could start, Fish should. Plus Farmar leads the bench mob which will be key in the team getting to the finals again.

SG - Ok, so this one is pretty obvious. So here I'll say why Kobe should start at SG instead of Sasha at SG and Kobe at SF. First, Sasha is key to the bench, and starting him will only hurt the bench. Second, Sasha will not be as good this year. Teams will have game plans for him, they will make sure he is covered. And because he is such a one dimensional player, it won't be that hard to limit what he does.

SF - This one is a toss up that I think should be decided in training camp. Either Luke or Vlad (not Ariza). Vlad can really benefit from being the 5th best player on the floor, because he can get open shots. But I think Luke's passing and basketball IQ give him the job. Plus he'll have the ability to hit the open shot, and as long he's healthy, I think he should definately be the starter.

PF - Odom, not Bynum (or Pau). I really don't like the look of having 2 centers out there. Both will be working in the paint so it will be hard to get a decent look inside. If you limit one of them to the high post, they won't be nearly as effective. Plus it kills the bench to not have a decent big man.

C - Pau should get this. Based on what I said above, it would either be Bynum and Pau off the bench or Pau with Bynum off the bench. Bynum is still a member of the bench mob imo, and was only a fill-in starter last year for an injured Kwame. He has great chemistry off the bench, while Pau has great chemistry with the starters. Plus it's easier for a younger Bynum to come off the bench after warming up and then sitting before going in.

I think Bynum should start. He is after all what we supposedly lacked in the Finals and just going with last years line up except for Luke isn't the way to go. I mean would you seriously start Luke over Bynum? If anyone would be starting at the SF it should be Ariza at least. You just can't have our future in Bynum coming off of the bench.

C - Pau should get this. Based on what I said above, it would either be Bynum and Pau off the bench or Pau with Bynum off the bench. Bynum is still a member of the bench mob imo, and was only a fill-in starter last year for an injured Kwame. He has great chemistry off the bench, while Pau has great chemistry with the starters. Plus it's easier for a younger Bynum to come off the bench after warming up and then sitting before going in.

Are you crazy? No disrespect, because you made a good post. However, Bynum is the future of this franchise and therefore, he shouldd start. This could be Bynum's year, he is in excellent physical condition. Why would you bench the guy that has the one thing we are lacking (defense)? Pau is not a Center. He is a PF. Pau is finesse, he is not physical and cannot play good defense. If we put Bynum at Center, then we can have Bynum do the dirty work down low, and have Pau drift out and take J's. In fact, Bynum improves nearly every part of our defense. With Bynum intimidating down low, little pesky guards will stop driving inside, and dishing it out for a 3.

Edited by Darth Bynumite, August 04, 2008 - 07:02 AM.

Kurt Cobain - "Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are."

It's really not about Bynum being the future, it's about Gasol playing the four. He's a much better power forward than he is a center, and all throughout the playoffs, we spent our time weeping about Pau's physicality down low.

Bynum needs to start at center, with Pau at the four and Odom at the three, which will give us one of the biggest and most talented frontcourts since Parish, McHale and Bird in the 80s.

The PG position sticks out as a problem. It'll be tough for Fish to post the same numbers as last season, which were almost all categorically career bests. It'll also be increasingly more difficult for him to defend, as age catches up to him. As much as I like Farmar, I think of him as an outstanding second unit PG, leading a high energy attack off the bench. He is easily overmatched on defense.

The PG position sticks out as a problem. It'll be tough for Fish to post the same numbers as last season, which were almost all categorically career bests. It'll also be increasingly more difficult for him to defend, as age catches up to him. As much as I like Farmar, I think of him as an outstanding second unit PG, leading a high energy attack off the bench. He is easily overmatched on defense.

feel the same way

"The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and differentsun."

I think Bynum should start. He is after all what we supposedly lacked in the Finals and just going with last years line up except for Luke isn't the way to go. I mean would you seriously start Luke over Bynum? If anyone would be starting at the SF it should be Ariza at least. You just can't have our future in Bynum coming off of the bench.

Yea cuz I mean we just did horrible last year! Why does everything think getting to the finals was a huge disappointment? It was an amazing season.

Now, to answer the questions people had about the way I think they should go. Pau should play the 4? What? Pau is a 5. Pau always has been a 5 and I have no idea why you guys think he's a PF. PFs can play away from the basket, and all Pau can do is hit a 15 foot wide open jumper.

As for Bynum coming off the bench. This is more of a blessing. Choosing between Pau and Bynum is something every team wants to be able to do. The only reason I put Bynum off the bench (playing the same minutes as he would if he were starting) is because he plays better with the bench guys and at least to start the season won't be able to play big minutes. And Pau plays better with the starters. It's just the chemistry they have, not saying Bynum is bad and/or should get less minutes. It's just the fact that you can't have 2 centers out there. "The Future" (I guess he got a new nickname?) is going no where with 2 centers on the floor. There's no room to create. You have to give them room, and keep a balance between the starters and the bench. Starting both centers would create a giant starting lineup and a SMALL bench. If they were to go fish/kobe/odom/bynum/pau, then the bench would be farmar/sasha/ariza/walton/vladi. It doesn't help them to have an extra SF by putting odom there. It's much more balanced if you do fish/kobe/luke/odom/pau and farmar/sasha/ariza/valdi/bynum.

The PG position sticks out as a problem. It'll be tough for Fish to post the same numbers as last season, which were almost all categorically career bests. It'll also be increasingly more difficult for him to defend, as age catches up to him. As much as I like Farmar, I think of him as an outstanding second unit PG, leading a high energy attack off the bench. He is easily overmatched on defense.

I think PG is the strongest position on the team actually (not just because my 2 favorite players are Fish and Farmar lol, but I know no one is gonna believe that). Both are not stars, but know how to run the offense and you know what you are going to get out of them every game. Fish will be a leader and bring intangibles. Farmar will bring energy off the bench and create for guys. You know you will have that every game. At sg, of course you have Kobe. But behind him you have Sasha, who is terribly inconsistent. At SF you got Luke (injury questions), vladi (incosistent), and ariza (who knows at this point). PF you got Odom and really no one behind him, maybe vladi. At center you have Pau, who is pretty inconsistent himself and Bynum who coming off a major injury could never be anywhere close to what he was. From the standpoint of consistent play, which I believe makes a position strong, PG is set.

Yea cuz I mean we just did horrible last year! Why does everything think getting to the finals was a huge disappointment? It was an amazing season.

Now, to answer the questions people had about the way I think they should go. Pau should play the 4? What? Pau is a 5. Pau always has been a 5 and I have no idea why you guys think he's a PF. PFs can play away from the basket, and all Pau can do is hit a 15 foot wide open jumper.

As for Bynum coming off the bench. This is more of a blessing. Choosing between Pau and Bynum is something every team wants to be able to do. The only reason I put Bynum off the bench (playing the same minutes as he would if he were starting) is because he plays better with the bench guys and at least to start the season won't be able to play big minutes. And Pau plays better with the starters. It's just the chemistry they have, not saying Bynum is bad and/or should get less minutes. It's just the fact that you can't have 2 centers out there. "The Future" (I guess he got a new nickname?) is going no where with 2 centers on the floor. There's no room to create. You have to give them room, and keep a balance between the starters and the bench. Starting both centers would create a giant starting lineup and a SMALL bench. If they were to go fish/kobe/odom/bynum/pau, then the bench would be farmar/sasha/ariza/walton/vladi. It doesn't help them to have an extra SF by putting odom there. It's much more balanced if you do fish/kobe/luke/odom/pau and farmar/sasha/ariza/valdi/bynum.

I never said that last year was horrible and the Finals was a huge disappointment. In fact we over achieved last year. I'm just saying I rather not have Bynum coming off of the bench and he should be starting at the 5 not Pau. How do we know if Bynum plays well or not with the starters or the bench if he hasn't played since January?

The reason i don't put Bynum straight into the lineup is obviously because of his injury and becaus eof that i have a feeling that he will be eased back into rotation.

Eventually we should see Bynum at the 5, Gasol sliding to the 4 and Odom at the 3.

Towards the end of the season i can see Farmar logging more minutes, but for now Fisher is pretty much a lock to start.

I'm also not worried at all about Lamar playing the 3, i mean if u can find someone who can do it better then get him, but that's really the same with anyone u know?. Lamar playing SF should be fine because he has the size advantage, not really a great deal of pressure to score, and i do remember him demeaning Shawn Marion a couple of years back in the playoffs so we know he can match up of people in that kind of size range.

I never said that last year was horrible and the Finals was a huge disappointment. In fact we over achieved last year. I'm just saying I rather not have Bynum coming off of the bench and he should be starting at the 5 not Pau. How do we know if Bynum plays well or not with the starters or the bench if he hasn't played since January?

You said going with last years lineup isn't the way to go. So you're saying that lineup didn't work, when in fact it got them to the finals. So why not stick to the same lineup?

Whether Bynum or Pau starts at 5 is not the issue. The issue is starting both or 1 of them. It doesn't really matter which one starts as long as both don't. How do we know that Bynum plays well with the bench than the starters? Well because when he did play with the bench, he had more confidence and since he's played with them for so long, he knows what the others are going to do (and likewise for the others). Plus he is younger and can run up and down the court better than Pau, and the bench likes to run. Finally, he is a much better help defender than Pau, and with Farmar still trying to get better on defense, Sasha still not able to stay in front of his guy, and Ariza going for steals, you need a big who is a good help defender, especially since Turiaf is gone. Pau is better with the starters, because he plays a much more half court game than Bynum, like the rest of the starters. Plus he and Kobe have really good chemistry out there, starting with the fact that they talk to each other in spanish. The thing is Bynum might be the better player than Pau, but starting him and having Pau off the bench just screws up everything chemistry wise. Switch them, and everything fits a whole lot better.

You said going with last years lineup isn't the way to go. So you're saying that lineup didn't work, when in fact it got them to the finals. So why not stick to the same lineup?

Whether Bynum or Pau starts at 5 is not the issue. The issue is starting both or 1 of them. It doesn't really matter which one starts as long as both don't. How do we know that Bynum plays well with the bench than the starters? Well because when he did play with the bench, he had more confidence and since he's played with them for so long, he knows what the others are going to do (and likewise for the others). Plus he is younger and can run up and down the court better than Pau, and the bench likes to run. Finally, he is a much better help defender than Pau, and with Farmar still trying to get better on defense, Sasha still not able to stay in front of his guy, and Ariza going for steals, you need a big who is a good help defender, especially since Turiaf is gone. Pau is better with the starters, because he plays a much more half court game than Bynum, like the rest of the starters. Plus he and Kobe have really good chemistry out there, starting with the fact that they talk to each other in spanish. The thing is Bynum might be the better player than Pau, but starting him and having Pau off the bench just screws up everything chemistry wise. Switch them, and everything fits a whole lot better.

I know what you're trying to say and it's a great statement. But I have no idea what else to say about this. I guess we'll have to wait until the season starts to see how Phil Jackson handles the starting lineup. Even though last year's lineup got them to the Finals, wouldn't it be better to experiment with the lineup. I mean Radman wasn't a very good idea in the first place and I just can't imagine Luke out there either.

Now, to answer the questions people had about the way I think they should go. Pau should play the 4? What? Pau is a 5. Pau always has been a 5 and I have no idea why you guys think he's a PF. PFs can play away from the basket, and all Pau can do is hit a 15 foot wide open jumper.

Actually, he played the four during his best years at Memphis. In 04-05 he averaged 18 and 7 at the four (Lorenzo Wright started most games at center). The next season it was 20-9 again with Wright playing more the traditional center role.

All he can do is hit a 15-foot jumper? He has shown us a lot more game than that, he puts it on the floor very well for a big his size and because because you have to respect his jumper his passing is very good. I think that could be the best part of a Bynum-Gasol-Odom from line — Odom and Gasol are going to get Bynum some good looks inside with their passing.